I know New Years was 12 days ago, but I find that this week represents the beginning of the year for me as a shearer. After getting through the holidays and making it through some seriously cold days in Iowa we are now working most days and it is officially "spring" in my mind. The last week has been pretty full with work and driving and here are a few photos to show you what we have been up to.
We left Iowa on Wednesday after shearing one job of nice white face ewes.
On our way south we passed a lovely rendering truck full of cargo. This frozen pig seemed to be waving goodbye to us as we cruised south.
Our next stop was at a research facility in Nebraska. We sheared lots of sticky Romanov hair sheep...not the most fun we have had but the thermometer is going up and we rolled out of there in good time.
Our next stop was still in Nebraska. Crutching sheep isn't much fun but in spite of that I enjoy seeing their white naked butts all lined up eating. It will make them easier to shear come summertime and cleaner during lambing.
From there we had a brief stopover in Missouri and then we started the long, long, long drive south. Lydia begged us to get a picture next to the Texas sign and luckily we made it before nightfall. From there we made it till just inside of the New Mexico line and I got to spend my first night in a Walmart parking lot! I'm officially a hobo:)
The road into Roswell. El Capitan the mountain is just cut off in this picture over on the horizon to the right. Nothing but flat dry land full of cactus and tumbleweeds. The thermometer was up to 75*!!! This next week is gonna be full of shearing, sun, and fine wool.
